Ultraprocessed Foods and Their Association With Cardiometabolic Health: Evidence, Gaps, and Opportunities: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association

Top Things to Know

Food is Medicine programs should prioritize reducing intake of HFSS UPFs (e.g., sugary drinks, processed meats) while allowing select nutrient-dense UPFs (e.g., whole grain breads, unsweetened soy milk) that support health and affordability.

To make FIM interventions effective, systemic changes (e.g., regulating harmful additives, improving labeling, and subsidizing healthier alternatives) are needed to shift the food environment, especially in underserved communities.

Understanding how UPFs affect metabolism, appetite, and gut health beyond their nutrient content will help refine produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals, ensuring they target the most harmful foods and promote sustainable dietary change.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This American Heart Association science advisory reviews the growing evidence linking ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), especially those high in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium (HFSS), to increased cardiometabolic risk and mortality. While UPFs dominate the U.S. food supply and offer convenience and affordability, they often displace healthier options and may disrupt appetite regulation, gut microbiota, and metabolic signaling. The advisory calls for nuanced dietary guidance that distinguishes harmful UPFs from nutrient-dense processed foods, and emphasizes the need for improved food classification systems, additive transparency, and mechanistic research. It recommends multilevel strategies including reformulation, front-of-package labeling, and taxation to reduce HFSS UPF consumption. The advisory also highlights the importance of equitable access to nutritious foods and the need to modernize FDA oversight of food additives. Ultimately, it urges a balanced approach that supports nutrition security, sustainability, and public health.